This is the bridge that separates my island from the mainland. It's the longest suspension bridge in the world, nearly 4 kilometers long. It costs over 2500 yen to cross it in a "futsu-joyosha" (rougly means regular car in the sense of size, power, and purpose) one way. Yes, I pay this both ways whenever I go off the island.

This is one of the footbridges that are built over the highway on my island. I've never seen anyone on them, and I think they demand closer investigation.

Actually, I have no idea what these towers are for, but they looked really neat against the sunset when I was driving home...

Created with the "pencil sketch" filter on my keitai's graphics app. The original photo was too dark to see, really. I upped the contrast and applied the filter.... Voila! Nana's hands, BTW.

My cousin Nana. Resident of Asuka Mura. No, I will not "hook you up."

This was a good photo to try my keitai photoshopping skillz on. This is my cousin Tate shortly after a Cuervo shooter. Tate's dad, my uncle Takatoshi, is the head minister of a church in Nara, and it seems Tate is under a lot of pressure to get his act together... He has a younger sister and brother, and I take them out as often as I can. Hell, we met some relatives in Kyoto for the first time last month... Aw crap I just realized that whatever I write here will be overshadowed by the photo.

The original, untouched version of this photo was not a keeper. Several thumb taps later, it became what you see here. Spooky with a Gothic kinda tip, a keeper in my book - if you can stand to look at it long enough to recognize the subject, that is. Got it? Hint: It's a girl praying to god for me to stop running around taking pictures like a wired monkey, or for Armageddon, whichever can be arranged sooner, justpleasepleasehurrymakehimstopmakehimstop...

Kohei did not believe me when I said that a genki drink called "Tough Man" has a pair of balls on the bottle. Drink it and weep, I say. I am just guessing that this company took a pretty hard hit when they legalized Viagra in Japan.

Wow! This photo really came together well considering that the only illumination was the flame from my lighter (set to medium) and indirect reflections of the 8-ball clock off the wall they were facing. The original color photo came out well, but I like the monotone better. I admit that I staged this shot and had them pose for it - but it looks like a natural bar scene to me. I'm simply amazed this was possible with my keitai cam.

The 8-ball clock at Bill's Bar shines a soothing light over all who enter. Chris found it at a second hand store when he was redoing the bar a couple years ago and knew it would be perfect for the new look he had in mind. In retrospect - props, man.

Taro officially ranked out at around 4 in the morning even after promising to make it out all night. In anticipation, I created ballpoint-on-napkin art in honor of his whippedness. Then I set fire to it on an ashtray which is what I captured here. Reminds me of the Pearl Jam song "Jeremy" for some reason.

A psychedelic tin of candy drops as seen through my eyes after downing a Spirytus shotgun. 192 proof, baby.

At Bill's Bar. I kinda went aggro with this keitai camera and took pictures semi-continuously for a few hours, recharging the phone in short bursts when necessary (BTW this is a good way to wear out a rechargeable battery).

This is artwork on the top of a plastic jar lid for an old brand of mango chutney. My aunt in Kyoto gave it to me filled with curry from their shop, which is located next to Nijo Castle.

A warning label on one of the automated machines at the factory I visited the other day.

This baby monkey is being held in a stanky, stanky metal cage with some fully-grown family members who steal food from it and make it cry. Life really sucks sometimes. Then again, it is entirely possible that these conditions bother me more than the monkey...

Some type of fertility doll, I think. Nazo, nazo.

Me like raccoon-dogs.

GREAT EMOTIONAL DISTRESS

The entire purpose of this post is to strike fear in my sibling. We have memories of the devil mask in our house, you see.

They could have done so much more in this valley than imprison innocent monkeys and give stuffed raccoons boners... Then again, it is a free country I guess.

Ray at Achewood digs boners, too.

Dude, I got a Boner.

At Nazo no Paradaisu (Paradise of Mysteries) attraction on my island, Awajishima. My main blog will feature a photo essay on the strange exhibits we found there.

I think the sky came out quite nicely in this photo. It's funny to me how small pictures can show so much detail.

On stairs leading up to the plateau from which I took the pic above, at Nijo-Jo in Kyoto.

18-inch 5-stars on a jet black, pimp-ass AMG. Shit, this company must be owned by Suge Knight.

An actual raincoat for dogs, seen at Jusco in Tenri. I guess this would come in handy if you've shaved your pooch in preparation for eating or whatever.

This is an evil flavor of tea provided for us for free at work. On the syrup box shown here it says that it is a combination of two common types of Japanese tea, which leads me to believe that instead of washing out the pipes at the production facility in between runs of different products, they simply flush them out and sell the resulting slurry as a new product. Kind of like making a suicide Big Gulp, I guess.

This is one of the more interesting views of the factory where I work. Depressing, that.

These are decent as Japanese chocolate bars go, but my absolute favorite was a product called Woody, "Made with Corn".

Taken at Chibo Okonomiyaki at Itoya Kado in Nara after gigantic lunch with the Sheahans.

Copping a feel at the new Itoya Kado department store in Nara. The NuBra is constantly hyped on SkyPerfect TV in between shows. Ah, the joys of television shopping!

The most meaningless lemon art I have ever seen (yes, there is meaningful lemon art). The 400 yen I paid for this coke somehow seems even less justified with this half-ass attempt at cocktail design. Of course, this was taken at the overpriced steakhouse we visited in Matsuzaka, Mie Prefecture.

Display window of Sony Store in Hep 5, Umeda.

Cruisin' on the Dai-ni Hanna... Look out my window and what do I see?